LSU gets commitment from Florida shooting guard

• By WILLIAM WEATHERS
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Mar 2, 2008

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The last piece of the larger-than-usual recruiting puzzle for the LSU women’s basketball program is now in place.

The Lady Tigers, who had already signed eight players — including seven high school prospects — added what will be a ninth and final member to that class after picking up a commitment from shooting guard Andrea Kelly of Okaloosa-Walton (Fla.) Community College.

“I never really looked at LSU as one of the schools that would recruit me,” Kelly said. “I always knew of them and knew of the success in their program. Hearing of them and actually doing research for background on it is unbelievable. It’s definitely very humbling. I’m excited to step up and perform.”

The 5-foot-9 Kelly provides a need on the wing with her shooting prowess for an LSU class that now features four guards, including a pair of junior college players (the other being Erica Brown of Tallahassee Community College) and five post players.

“I think Andrea is easily one of the top three or four shooters in the country at the junior college level,” Okaloosa-Walton coach Brittney Ezell, a former assistant coach and player at Alabama. “Her numbers aren’t going to be gaudy because she’s playing with six other kids who are all going to be going high-level Division I schools as well, but she is capable.

“She’s had nights where she’s put up 26 and 27. But she doesn’t want all the spotlight on her. She wants the team to be successful and has a lot of leadership characteristics about her.”

Kelly reaffirmed her commitment following an official visit last weekend where she watched the team practice and then face top-ranked Connecticut on Monday. She chose LSU over Michigan State, Florida, Virginia Tech, Illinois, Virginia, Providence and Colorado.

“The LSU name attracted me,” said Kelly, who plans to major in pre-med. “The fact that it’s close to home and it’s in a great conference — one of the best in the country. … It’s a great program with great academics.”

Kelly signed with Okaloosa-Walton after earning all-state honors as a senior at Choctawatchee High in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., where she averaged 18 points.

Kelly averaged eight points in her first season at OWCC, hitting 37 percent of her shots from 3-point range, before increasing that to nearly nine points this past season. She shot 37 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range and 86 percent from the free-throw line for OWCC (18-10).

“When we come out to practice we’re going to have that mind-set of keeping that tradition going, having that work ethic to push us,” Kelly said. “I think it will help us work that much harder and have the goal to do our best.”

Notes

LSU signee Courtney Jones, a 6-2 forward from Midfield, Ala., earned co-MVP honors after helping her team to the Class 4A state championship Friday. Jones scored 13 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out five assists. … Fellow signee Destini Hughes — a 5-10 guard — of Ft. Worth-Kennedale, who averages 22.2 points, helped her team reached the Class 3A state championship game after dropping in 27 points. … Hughes is one of three signees — the other being 6-3 center Ayana Dunning of Columbus, Ohio, and 6-2 forward LaSondra Barrett of Jackson, Miss. — that have been selected to take part in the McDonald’s All-American game at 6 p.m. March 26 in Milwaukee.